From US Secretary of State Blinken’s point of view, it depends on Hamas what happens next in the Middle East conflict. The Israeli proposal for a ceasefire is “very strong.” But the pressure on Netanyahu is also growing.
During his visit to Israel, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called on Hamas to agree to Israel’s proposal for a ceasefire. “It is Hamas that is blocking the path to the ceasefire,” he said. There is a “very strong proposal on the table” that the terrorist organization must “agree to and bring the matter to an end.”
Complicated procedure
According to media reports, the Israeli proposal envisages a multi-stage process in which the fighting in the Gaza Strip will initially be stopped for 40 days and hostages will be released in return. First, women, the sick, the elderly and the wounded should be released. As with the first ceasefire, Palestinian prisoners will also be released from Israeli prisons – also in a phased process.
According to a spokesman, the Israeli government will wait until this evening for a response from Hamas. “A decision” will then be made as to whether Israel will send a delegation to Cairo for further talks.
“Answer within a very short time”
The round of negotiations was mediated by the USA, Egypt and Qatar. Negotiating sources said Qatari mediators expected a response from Hamas in a day or two. A senior Hamas official told AFP that Hamas would “clearly present its response within a very short period of time.”
“We are committed to reaching a ceasefire that brings the hostages home, now,” Blinken said in Tel Aviv. “The only reason this could not be achieved is because of Hamas.”
At the same time, the US Secretary of State emphasized the need to also focus on helping the people of Gaza “who are suffering in the crossfire caused by Hamas.”
Map of the Gaza Strip, gray areas: built-up areas in the Gaza Strip, hatched: areas controlled by the Israeli army
“Last chance” before Rafah offensive?
Blinken’s visit was also about significantly increasing aid deliveries to Gaza in order to improve the situation of the people there. At the same time, the US politician made it clear once again in a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States rejects an offensive by the Israeli army in Rafah. The US has a “clear stance” on this, the US State Office said.
Israel has announced a rapid start to the controversial offensive if an agreement is not reached. The proposal now on the table is seen as a “last chance”.
Rafah is located in the south of the Gaza Strip on the border with Egypt. Up to 1.8 million residents of the Palestinian territory have now sought refuge there because of the war that has been going on for almost seven months.
Pressure also on Netanyahu
However, the Israeli government suspects that this is Hamas’ last bastion. According to current statements, the military operation in Rafah is therefore non-negotiable for the right-wing extremist parties in the Israeli government. It is therefore unclear whether they would even agree to a ceasefire.
Human Settlements Minister Orit Strock made it clear what she thought of the offer to Hamas:
The government sends people to war. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers have left everything behind and gone to fight for the goals that the government has set. And we throw these goals in the trash to save 22 or 33 people now? Such a government has no right to exist.
Discord with the USA?
So Netanyahu knows that delaying or even abandoning the Rafah offensive could destroy his government and thereby seal his political fate. That’s why he made it clear several times – including to Blinken – that he was sticking to it, with or without a deal.
After today’s meeting with Blinken, Netanyahu did not appear in front of the press. Observers see this as evidence of a deep rift with the USA.
With information from Julio Segador, ARD Studio Tel Aviv